Text Box: We enjoyed shocking many of you in our last letter with news of my pregnancy and want to give you a bit of an update with how that’s going later. Firstly however, thank you to all of you who have written with your kind words and congratulations. We treasure every note and letter. And to those who are parents, don’t be shy about letting us know any secrets to parenting that you have learned over the years. We’re complete amateurs at this you know! Allenspark has been a breath of fresh air to us, both literally and figuratively. It’s a far cry to what we’ve been used to and a change we are deeply appreciating. We love our new little home in the woods and our landlady Sandy, who lives upstairs with her dog Muffin. Our apartment has become a second home to Muffin, so we also get all the fun out of having a dog with none of the responsibility. One of the main reasons we are here is for Erik to pursue further training and studies in the area of organizational development and management. Our desire is to return to the Balkans and see effective and stable structures in place that will support the development of a vibrant, strong and growing evangelical community. Erik is finding his studies challenging (it has been more than a few years since he was in school) but at the same time inspiring and thought-provoking. Every day I see the wheels turning as he evaluates all he is learning and applies it to what we’ve done and what we hope to be doing in the future back in the Balkans. I’m excited about what will come out of it. The online format is no breeze though. I can hardly see his desk for the piles of books he has to read, and there are tests, exams and assignments daily as well as ongoing graded online discussions which require a high level of participation. However, it is a format he thrives on and he’s doing well. Now back to the big news of our last newsletter. The baby!!! I think we have adjusted to this new event in our lives and are getting excited. The first trimester sickness hasn’t been fun, but it’s tapering off and will hopefully soon disappear completely. We have been amazed at how God has provided for our every need during this time from things we’ve needed for our home, to health insurance for me and the baby. I have been put on a health program which will cover the entire pregnancy, childbirth and a year of care after as well. The funny thing is, I didn’t think I even qualified for it…but we are certainly not complaining. My health is a bit of an issue right now. I actually feel well (apart from the morning sickness), but my thyroid definitely isn’t normal. It’s continually growing and is now producing too much thyroid hormone. I am returning this coming week to England for a total thyroidectomy. The surgery is scheduled for 25 February. We would really appreciate your prayers, especially for the baby that he/she would do well with all the travel and medical interventions. I also need to make sure I stay free of colds, flu etc so the surgery can actually take place as planned. We’ll be in touch again soon. Remember, we LOVE hearing from you too!

Text Box: Sincerely,

Text Box: Postal Address: Erik and Joanna Stensland, PO Box 243 Allenspark, CO 80510

Text Box: Stensland News and Views - Feb. 2004

Text Box: Email: ejstensland@pobox.com Telephone: (303) 747 - 1719 Web: http://stensland.balkanhope.com Photos: http://photos.balkanhope.com